CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (May 8, 2014) - The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB) presented its 2014 Tourism Achievement Award (formerly
"Tourism Person of the Year Award) to LOOK3 - Festival of the Photograph for being
a staple event, which contributes to bringing hundreds of visitors to our area
year after year. The award was presented at an evening reception at Jefferson
School City Center in Charlottesville in celebration of National Travel & Tourism Week.

LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph is
an annual celebration of photography, created by photographers, for those who
share a passion for the still image. The LOOK3 mission is to celebrate the
vision of extraordinary photographers, ignite conversations about critical
issues, and foster the next generation of artists. As a nonprofit
organization, LOOK3 challenges assumptions about photography by presenting
diverse work by a variety of artists, developing innovative educational
initiatives, and offering community engagement events.

Kurt Burkhart, CACVB's Executive
Director, said that he is, "thrilled to see this award go to the little
festival that can," reflecting that Look3 Festival of the Photograph, "while
smaller in size compared to Book and Film, Look3 continues to do a stellar job
in attracting financial sponsorships and sustaining a wildly enthusiastic base
of support, both locally, throughout the country and abroad."

Also voicing enthusiasm for this
year's selection is Gregory MacDonald, Executive Director of Michie Tavern and

the 2006 recipient of this same
award. "We are very blessed to have
individuals and organizations in our community who have and continue to
contribute in a very positive way. I
believe that Look3 most definitely achieved the criteria established to receive
this year's Tourism Achievement Award."
MacDonald was also part of the selection committee that made this year's
decision.

Victoria Hindley, Executive Director
for LOOK3, rejoices: "LOOK3 is
delighted to be selected for the 2014 Tourism Achievement Award. As my tenure
as Executive Director is very new, this honor reflects the hard work of my
predecessor, Andrew Owen, former managing Director of LOOK3, his team, and our
founders and Board of Advisors. All of these people brought LOOK3 into
existence out of a passionate commitment to the power of photography. LOOK3
also shares this honor with all of the remarkable arts and cultural
organizations that make Charlottesville such an interesting and vital place to
live and visit. Thank you for recognizing and celebrating the contribution of
the arts!"

The annual tourism reception and
award presentation allows the hospitality community the opportunity to
celebrate the collaborative efforts of the local tourism industry while
acknowledging the efforts of one particular individual or group who has shown
great leadership through their commitment to tourism in our region.

This year also marked the third year
of a new tradition; individuals working in the local tourism
industry were recognized for their commitment and excellence in customer
service in the following categories:

In tourism and hospitality, a
business's success is realized in large measure by the direct contact a person
has with someone who is usually on the front-line or who provides customer
service. National Tourism Week is the
perfect opportunity to recognize some very special people in our community who
have provided a memorable experience for visitors and local patrons. Winners of the above awards were selected
through a public vote, which took place March 9 through April 4.

Additionally, Melinda Crawford, Executive
Director for the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport, received on behalf of CHO,
the 3rd Annual New Horizons Award, for its "leadership and advocacy
... as a key strategic tourism partner."

Also new this year, the ‘Capture
Charlottesville & Albemarle" photo contest winners were presented with cash
awards for their winning photos at the Tourism Awards event. This year, nearly 1,000 images were submitted
for the CACVB-led contest. The jury
consisted of three prominent leaders in the local photography industry: Christian DeBaun, Charlottesville Photography
Initiative Operations Director, Victoria Hindley, new Executive Director of
Look3 Festival of the Photograph and William "Bill" Allard, renowned
Photographer for National Geographic.

About
the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB)
In addition to serving as the global resource for marketing the tourism assets
of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia, through www.visitcharlottesville.org,
the CVB assists tour operators, meeting planners, reunions and other groups in
planning visits to the destination.
CACVB's mission is "to enhance the economic prosperity of City and
County by promoting, selling and marketing the City of Charlottesville and
County of Albemarle, as a destination, in pursuit of the meetings and tourism
markets." CACVB operates the Downtown Visitor Center (610 E Main St),
which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and a satellite Visitor Center in
the Albemarle County Office Building (401 McIntire Rd),
which is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as a
touch-screen kiosk at Monticello's Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center.

About
National Travel & Tourism Week

According to the U.S. Travel
Association, the first full week of May is annually recognized as National Travel and Tourism Week, a tradition first celebrated in 1984. National Tourism
Week was established when the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution in 1983
designating the week to be celebrated in May. In a White House ceremony,
President Ronald Reagan signed a Presidential Proclamation urging citizens to
observe the week with "the appropriate ceremonies and activities."